07-04-2008, 09:17 AM
Your skills sound great! I assume you have already heard that island employers are reluctant to hire the newly arrived (malihini), and that the new status can extend for years. In part because so many people have left again after being trained.
Of late, I have run into more new to the island people holding jobs. Macy's and Home Depot clearly are open to malihini.
Some other places in Hilo, many others, I may be cynical but you'll get a job only if there's absolutely no nephew cousin auntie or uncle that wants it.
Call it nepotism or call it the community taking care of its own by offering employment to long time residents and family first ...
Honestly, I cannot understand moving here, with a child to support, unless you either have a job lined up, or two, OR you come with two years of living expenses in the bank. Especially now that we're sort of in a depression, an economic downturn for sure.
My sons came over here, in their early 30's, highly qualified in a couple fields. They were not offered jobs by the employers that were hiring. They got pittance jobs. Six years later, one of them has found success, as of this last year only. The other is still doing independent contracting and living at subsistence level, and completely changed vocations.
This is not like moving to an urban area with a lot of opportunity, and newbies are not typically welcomed as additions to the job pool, although so much of the time they bring immense enthusiasm and more drive to the position than the person who typically gets hired.
Of late, I have run into more new to the island people holding jobs. Macy's and Home Depot clearly are open to malihini.
Some other places in Hilo, many others, I may be cynical but you'll get a job only if there's absolutely no nephew cousin auntie or uncle that wants it.
Call it nepotism or call it the community taking care of its own by offering employment to long time residents and family first ...
Honestly, I cannot understand moving here, with a child to support, unless you either have a job lined up, or two, OR you come with two years of living expenses in the bank. Especially now that we're sort of in a depression, an economic downturn for sure.
My sons came over here, in their early 30's, highly qualified in a couple fields. They were not offered jobs by the employers that were hiring. They got pittance jobs. Six years later, one of them has found success, as of this last year only. The other is still doing independent contracting and living at subsistence level, and completely changed vocations.
This is not like moving to an urban area with a lot of opportunity, and newbies are not typically welcomed as additions to the job pool, although so much of the time they bring immense enthusiasm and more drive to the position than the person who typically gets hired.